Learn Kannada or lose job: Karnataka body warns bank staff

BENGALURU: The Kannada Development Authority on Monday asked regional heads of nationalised, rural and scheduled banks to make it mandatory for non-Kannada-speaking staffers to learn the language in six months.

In a circular issued to banks, KDA chairman SG Siddaramaiah said, “If employees fail to learn Kannada in six months, they should be relieved of their services in accordance with the recruitment rules.“ The authority said a Kannada unit must be set up in all the bank branches in the manner Hindi units were opened throughout the country when Hindi was implemented.

“There is a lack of will in implementing the local language in many banks. ...not paying due respect to the local language can lead to conflicts in future.Banks have to take up the measures on an emergency basis,“ Siddaramaiah said.

The authority said banks must follow the three-language formula in all advertisements.

Banks have been told to mandatorily implement the Dr Sarojini Mahishi report that says all Group `C' and `D' posts must be given to local applicants.The KDA chairman said he would visit the banks to review the implementation of Kannada.

SP Shankar a senior advocate, said that service conditions cannot be altered midcareer to the detriment of employees.

The banks TOI spoke to said they were yet to receive the KDA circular.